Why is my male rabbit pulling out my female's fur? Is it serious?

A change in weather can cause increased shedding. Other causes include parasites, infection or stress. If the shedding persists and results in bald patches, have Fluffy examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. Any treatment will depend on the diagnosis. In the meantime, clean the cage and provide fresh bedding. Make sure she isn't too hot or too cold. Look her over for redness, sores or dry skin.

If the skin looks normal where the hair is missing then it is possible that the other bunny is pulling it out OR Snow White could be self mutilating as well. Also mites and ringworm are common in rabbits as well. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by a veterinarian. In the meantime please practice good hygiene after handling her as ring worm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Fur pulling can be a behavioural response to stress, or it could be due to a medical problem such as itching from bacterial infection, ringworm, mites or fleas, or allergies. Contact with a male human is unlikely to be the cause. More common causes of stress would include any new human (male or female), new pets, change in environment, stressful noises, or stress due to pain. I would start by eliminating any potential stressors, if present. You can also try using a feline pheromone spray called Feliway, which can help to reduce stress in cats. If this does not help, I would recommend getting him seen by the vet. They can perform some skin tests such as a skin scraping, cytology, or fungal culture, to rule out a medical problem, and prescribe appropriate medical treatments if so. I hope this helps, and that your kitty feels better soon!

Poor Fluffy, Rabbits can have a molt where they will shed the hair almost like a dog would. However, if the coat appears abnormal or you feel like she is painful I would recommend taking her to a vet for a good exam. Rabbits can also get parasites, fungal disease and bacterial disease of the skin that can affect how the coat grows and might be causing some pain when the hair is removed. hope that helps

This could be caused by intense itch. In these cases allergies, mites infestation, or other skin parasites and bacterial dermatitis could be suspected. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately.

Binky may be suffering from mites, as may your other rabbit. Patchy fur loss with flaking along the rabbit's back is typical for the mite Cheyletiella parasitovorax, Your veterinarian may examine a sticky tape preparation or skin scraping under the microscope for the presence of mites, however, might sometimes not find any, even though they are present on the rabbit. Mites are usually eradicated easily. Classic treatment is with injectable or oral ivermectin, or a selamectin spot on given in treatments two weeks apart. As mites live in the environment of your rabbit, it is essential to thoroughly clean your rabbit's cage and disinfect areas after each treatment to control reinfestation, since fur and dander in the environment may contain mite eggs. You will need to treat all rabits in your household.

It can be completely normal for a rabbit to shed. Sometimes they will shed larger amounts when scared or stressed. They can also lose fur with skin infections or mite infestations. If Bunny Boo’s skin is nice and pink and appears healthy, then she is probably having a normal amount of shedding. If her skin seems overly dry, crusty, or flakey, this could indicate a problem. You also want to watch closely to make sure there are no additional areas of baldness like around the ear. If Bunny Boo is exhibiting any of the symptoms described above, I would recommend taking her in to the vet to be checked out. She may need medication for a skin infection. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.